Our Love is Legend
by KarysDvasia
Summary: When Karys Dvasia was captured by the Imperial army, the last person she expected to meet was the hulking blonde Nord from her past. Uflric Stormcloak had haunted her dreams for the past decade, and now the Divines had brought him back to her. M for violence, adult language, possible adult scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**I only own my own character(s) and this plot. All Skyrim related locations, names, characters, etc. belong to Bethesda!**

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Karys opened her eyes and shook her head to clear her mind. Her whole body ached with the blows she had received during her capture. She heard the plodding of horse's hooves and the creaking of wooden wheels. Raising her head, Karys looked around quizzically, wondering where she was being taken. A low curse left her lips when she realize they had taken her ebony sword, her prized possession. She noticed her hands were bound and grit her teeth, there was no getting out of this.

"Ah, you're awake. Good! My name is Ralof."

She snapped her head to her left and saw a blonde Nord in a blue Stormcloak uniform. He was smiling at her, despite their current situation.

"What happened?" Karys asked quietly.

The last she remembered was running through the forest near the border to Cyrodill towards the sounds of a battle. The Nord woman had found herself right in the middle of a clash of blue and red, Stormcloaks against Imperials.

"You ran right into our ambush, milady. And you fought valiantly. But there were too many Imperials and we were overcome." He paused and spit over the side of the wagon bitterly. "Shortly after they knocked you out, Jarl Ulfric called for surrender." He sighed, nodding in acknowledgment to someone on her other side.

_Ulfric? Surely not... _

She turned her head and saw another larger blonde Nord on her right. His mouth was covered with a tightly bound rag, and his brow was furrowed. She felt her mouth go dry and the air leave her lungs as he glared at her. Despite his imprisonment in Cyrodill and fighting in the Great War, age had treated him kindly. What she could see of his face was harder than she remembered, and the warmth had gone from his green eyes, replaced with a cold and calculating gaze that mesmerized her.

"Quiet back there!" The Imperial soldier driving their carriage called over his shoulder.

"Where are they taking us?" Karys questioned, ignoring the soldier's order for silence.

"I think we're just outside of Helgen." Ralof replied sadly, hanging his head. "I used to be sweet on a young lass here."

Karys barely heard his next statement about someone making mead with juniper berries as she tried to gather her thoughts. Last she had heard, Imperial General Tullius was stationed in Helgen. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she accepted her fate. Surely they were headed for the chopping block.

The wagon lurched to a stop and Karys raised her head, blue eyes searching the area around her. The quaint mountain village was crawling with Imperials, and a ways off she could see a headsman with an enormous axe slung across his shoulders.

"Everyone out!" An Imperial called gruffly, sounding impatient.

Karys stood quietly and followed Ulfric out of the carriage. Another soldier was reading names from a list and Karys breathed in relief when her name wasn't called.

"What's your name?" The soldier asked of her. "Karys Dvasia." She responded, her jaw set and her chin raised proudly.

Talos be damned if she'd show them any weakness.

"What of this woman?" The soldier asked his superior. "She's not on our list."

"She's obviously a rebellion sympathizer." The Imperial woman scorned, eyeing Karys' Amulet of Talos. "She goes under the axe with them."

"I'm sorry. At least you'll die in your home." The soldier sighed, writing her name on his list.

The group of prisoners was called to the chopping block and the first to go was a young Stormcloak soldier who taunted the Imperials with the promise of Sovngarde as the axe fell upon his neck with a dull thud. Karys winced when his head rolled into the basket and an Imperial kicked his body aside indifferently.

"Next! The woman!" The superior from earlier called, smirking darkly at Karys.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped forward, resigned to her fate. Before she could reach the block, a strange shriek wrenched through the air and several people called out in wonder. Despite the strange noise, Karys was pushed down on the block, her pulse ringing in her ears as she prayed to the Nine for salvation. Just as the headsman brought up his axe above his head, another shriek, closer this time, tore through the skies and a large shadow passed over.

What followed was chaos. A large beast landed with a crash upon a nearby guard tower and spewed fire as it shouted in a strange guttural tongue. Karys rolled away from the block and crawled quickly to the dropped headsman's axe, sawing at her bonds. She could hear people naming the great black beast "dragon" as she finally felt feeling returning to her fingertips.

"Karys, come! The Gods won't give us another chance!" Ralof shouted, grabbing her roughly and setting her on her feet.

She ran desperately behind Ralof and Ulfric, dodging another spout of fire from the great beast. The ground was quaking under her feet as she ran for cover in the nearest guard tower, praying the doorway wouldn't collapse under the wrath of the dragon before she was able to reach it. Karys stopped to catch her breath once she reached the safety of the guard tower and brushed her red hair back from her sweaty forehead.

Ulfric fell against the wall with a hiss, clutching his right leg. Three arrows were protruding from the muscle, the heads deeply imbedded into the flesh. Karys knew the man well, and wasn't accustomed to seeing him show weakness in battle, but she supposed three arrows was enough to bring any seasoned warrior down.

"Those damn Imperials didn't want to let you go." She sighed, kneeling before the Jarl. "Here, let me help." She added, summoning a healing spell in her right hand.

"Get away from me, you vile woman." The blonde Nord spat, batting her hands away.

"Ulfric, really. You-"

"No, I'll be fine. I don't need your help." He grunted, before gritting his teeth and breaking off the three arrow shafts in turn, leaving the heads to fester.

"I must insist." Karys pressed quietly, advancing towards him again as he struggled to stand.

"Damn it, woman! I said no. We don't have the time."

In reality, Ulfric would have liked for nothing other than to be healed. To feel the warmth of health course through his veins and quench the burning in his thigh. But Gods be damned if he would let that woman touch him again.

"My Jarl is right. We can't sit here waiting for that beast to find us." Ralof consented, leading them up the spiral stairs.

Before they could reach the top, there was a rumble that shook Karys to her very core and the wall of the tower was blown back and she felt a blast of heat before Ulfric shoved her against the wall, the bulk of his body protecting her from the flames. The dragon withdrew his head quickly and took flight once more. Ulfric pushed himself away from Karys and inspected the gaping opening the dragon had left behind.

"Jump through to the inn and head to the keep. We'll follow when we can."

"No. I want to help you." Karys declined, shaking her head and stepping away from the hole.

"Damn you, you stubborn woman! Jump or I will throw you!" Ulfric demanded, stepping towards her menacingly.

Karys bit her lip, torn. She didn't want to go, she wanted to help. But Talos be damned if she would let him throw her across to the burning inn below.

"You'll follow?" She implored, eyes Ulfric skeptically.

"As soon as we can." The large Nord assured her with a nod.

She took a deep breath and took a few steps back, preparing herself for a running start. She took one last look at Ulfric before running towards the opening and throwing herself into the smoldering ruin below. Rolling onto her shoulder, Karys quickly jumped to her feet an threw one last look back to the two men in the tower she had just vacated. Her cerulean eyes met Ulfric's mossy green ones and he nodded to her before turning away.

* * *

Ulfric watched Karys go, praying to Talos that she would make it out of this. Despite not having seen her in over a decade, the Jarl could tell that the woman had changed. She was no longer the tender, soft maiden he had known in his youth.

"Sir, that woman... Did the two of you..."

"I knew long ago. This is the first I've seen her in twelve years." Ulfric replied to Ralof's unasked questions, his mouth setting into a hard line at the memory. "Come, lad. We must go and see if the others made it." He commanded, leading the way back down the stairs.

Once back out in the sunlight, the devastation the dragon had caused to the small mountain stead became clear. There were bodies everywhere, some were burned black and charred, while others were mangled and bloody. Every building was blazing, some already smoldering ruins, others were freshly ablaze, the orange flames licking their was up the timbers angrily. A haze of smoke stung the two Nord's eyes, making it difficult to see. Somewhere nearby the dragon squalled again, his voice causing the very earth to rumble beneath their feet.

Ulfric retrieved a steel great sword from the ground, spinning it in his hand, willing the beast to come to him. He wasn't afraid of the damned beast. He would send it back to Oblivion by himself if he had to. Ralof picked up a discarded iron war axe, testing it's weight in his hand before also picking up a shield and strapping it to his left forearm. He wouldn't deny that he was terrified at the thought if the great black dragon, but he would follow his Jarl to the ends of Nirn that his death might be celebrated in Shor's Hall in Sovngarde.

A troop of Imperial soldiers spilled around the corner of a nearby building and charged at the sight of Ulfric. The two blonde warriors sprinted into the mass of enemies, hacking and slashing at the armor of their foes. The Imperials didn't seem to care for Ralof's presence, their only concern being the recapture of the leader of the rebellion.

"Ralof, go!" Ulfric ordered, plunging his sword into the stomach of a grizzled Imperial.

"I won't leave you, sir!" Ralof denied, bashing an advancing soldier's skull with his borrowed axe.

"Go, now! That's an order!" Ulfric yelled, blocking a blow from the young boy in front of him. "Go and make sure Karys gets away!"

Ralof fought his way out of the fray, hacking the head off of one more soldier for good measure before sprinting for a gap in the blazing buildings. He stared around wildly, looking for a flash of red hair. Praying the Nord woman had found her way into the keep, Ralof made his way as quickly as he could to the tower keep, his feet slipping on the blood soaked ground. He reached the wooden door of the keep and wrenched it open just as the dragon swooped down and picked up an Imperial warrior in it's massive maw. He slammed the door shut on the grizzly scene and leaned against it, catching his breath before turning to face the circular room he had just entered.

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**A/N: Hello all! This is my first ever post on this site and also my first attempt at an Elder Scrolls story! Please let me know what you think? I'm used to writing in first person, but thought I would try something new so I thought I would write this in third, so please bear with me if there any inconsistencies, point them out to me and I will fix them! Sorry this chapter was sort of jumpy and some dialogue and events from the opening of the game were left out. But I am so tired of the opening that I just wanted to get it over with! **

**Please review! I'm already halfway done with the second post!**


	2. Chapter 2

Ralof stood as a quiet sentry while Karys quickly washed the blood and soot from her face with water from the White River. He was still on edge, even though they had watched the dragon fly off down the valley after emerging from the bowels Helgen Keep relatively unscathed. He couldn't help but feel curious about the woman as he watched her. How did she know his leader, and why did they seem so on edge with each other?

"Alright." She sighed, standing up and slinging the water from her hands. "I'm done."

"We're not far from my home in Riverwood. My sister, Gurdur, runs the mill there." He informed her as they made their way back to the road. "She'll help us out. And maybe she'll know what to do about the dragon."

"I doubt anyone will know what to do about that big lizard. Has anyone alive ever even seen one?"

Ralof had to agree with her. Until a couple of hours previous, he had assumed dragons to be the stuff of legends. Stories that the elders told to their grandchildren at night.

"I hope Ulfric made it out alright." Karys said quietly after a few moments of walking in silence.

She had been furious to learn that Ralof had left him in the middle of a troupe of Imperials hell bent on executing him. But Ulfric was his leader, his commander. There was no way he could disobey a direct order. Karys decided that there was such a thing as too good of a soldier and that he was walking along beside her.

Ralof didn't try to reassure her, as he was just as concerned about the Jarl. Instead he asked the question that had been itching at him since they had entered the tower keep together some time previous.

"How do you know him?"

She sighed, fiddling with the stolen dagger she had strapped to her thigh. Her brows creased and Ralof thought he saw the flit of some deep emotion across her face, but it was gone before he could make any sense of it.

"We were…" She paused, chewing on her lip. "I knew him when I was younger."

He wasn't satisfied with the answer but let it slide, and decided not to press the matter. He hardly knew the woman after all, and they were both feeling stressed after the events at Helgen.

A whole village, gone in a matter of moments. Despite that it was an Imperial controlled village, Ralof felt pity for its residents. There had been children there, he had seen one on their way in while in back of that wagon.

The thought of their capture begged another question of the woman.

"What were you doing? When you were caught in our ambush?"

He glanced over and saw that her face had darkened, and he knew instantly that it would be another short answer. If not a lie, then at least not the whole truth.

"I was returning to Riften, I had been away on business."

He furrowed his brow thoughtfully. He would figure this woman out, one way or another.

* * *

Ralof's sister had not been pleased with their news of a dragon. She had even admitted to seeing the beast as it made its trek down the valley, though she hadn't known what to make of it at the time. Gurdur had even asked Karys to take the news to Jarl Balgruff in Whiterun, and to appeal for more hold guards to be send to the small village. Karys thought it strange that she would put such trust in a stranger, but just put it down to small town hospitality and trust.

She was sitting in Gurdur's small house, her stomach grumbling. Until they had reached Riverwood and actually taken a moment's pause, Karys hadn't realized just how sore and hungry she was. Who knew how long her hands had been tied behind her back before she had awoken? Her aching back told her that it had been some hours. And her stomach told her that if she didn't find something to eat soon, she might start retching right there at Gurdur's table.

She was unable to stifle her groan when her stomach panged again, and Ralof and Gurdur turned in time to see her clutching her stomach.

"Of course you two must be starved! Ralof, sit! Sit with your friend while I fetch some food."

She watched impatiently as Gurdur bustled about gathering bread, cheese, and cider before finally setting it down on the table between her and Ralof. She quickly snatched half a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese, alternating bites between the two until her mouth was quite full. She noticed Ralof watching in amusement from across the table, his eyebrows somewhere near his hairline.

Well maybe he was used to going without, but she certainly wasn't. And she decided it wasn't something she wanted to make a habit out of.

"I'm sorry, Ralof forgets his manners. What was your name, dear?" Gurdur questioned, taking a seat next to her brother and helping herself to some cider.

"Karys Dvasia." She replied after taking a sip of her own cider.

"I was very sorry to hear of their deaths. Your mother was a very kind woman."

Karys' brows rose in surprise. It had been years since she had met anyone that knew her parents.

"You knew them?"

"I did." Gurdur nodded, smiling at Karys' obvious surprise. "Not well, of course. I met them on occasion when I travelled to Windhelm."

"It's refreshing to meet someone that knew them." Karys admitted, now playing with her bread rather than scarfing it.

"You must miss them." Gurdur replied, her smile now seeming sad as she reached across the table to still Karys' hands with her. "And Ulfric. We were surprised to hear the troths were discarded after your parents passed."

"Troths? But… you were to marry _Ulfric_?" Ralof sputtered, his jaw dropping as he looked between the two women.

Karys quickly stood from the table, knocking her chair back in her haste. She moved towards the door as quickly as she could without running, willing the burning in her eyes to stop.

"Thank you for your hospitality Gurdur, I will take a room at the inn." She said, turning to smile politely at the other woman once she had smoothed her face into one of calm. "I will leave for Whiterun at first light, I'll send a courier with what news I can." She promised before slipping out of the door and dashing across the dark street to the inn.

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**I am a horrible person! I'm sorry if I've kept anyone waiting with this! The only excuse I can give is a poor one, life has been rather hectic lately! Anyways, I'm going to try and breathe some life back into this little project! I hope you'll stick with me!**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

Karys allowed herself a smile as her feet padded quietly down the familiar path to what she now considered her home, but it was bittersweet. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay. She was only there to gather her belongings and set some affairs in order before she was back on the road again.

It had been a month and a half since Helgen. And only a fortnight since she had learned that she was the Dragonborn of legend. The Dovahkiin.

Upon her arrival to Whiterun, the Jarl had agreed to send more guards to Riverwood before sending her to his court wizard Ferengar, who had then sent her on a wild goose chase into an ancient Nord burial crypt full of Draugur to retrieve something or other to do with dragons. It seemed the man had been studying them before the big black dragon had even appeared in Helgen.

She now knew that that particular dragon was actually Alduin, the fabled World Eater that she had read about when she was young. And that she was the one that had to kill him. But by Talos, how on Nirn she was going to do that she had no clue. The Greybeards had been little help, other than teaching her how to literally use her voice as a weapon but then advising her against using it unless there was a "true need." And then they had filled her with some "Sky above, Voice within" nonsense. Really, for such an ancient order, they weren't very wise.

She wondered how Ulfric had been able to stand them when he was younger, willful as he was. She had heard that he had survived Helgen and escaped the Imperials and the Thalmor once again to return to his throne in Windhelm.

As it happened, Windlem was her next destination. Before she had left Riverwood, Ralof had proposed her to join the Stormcloaks as a "true daughter of Skyrim." She intended to take him up on the offer, because the quicker that horrible Thalmor lot were out of the province then the less she would have to worry about while hunting Alduin.

But Karys wasn't sure if she would be welcomed within the ranks. She remembered the way Ulfric had glared at her in Helgen when she tried to heal him, and felt a knot grow in her stomach. Even after so many years, he was still angry with her for leaving. Perhaps her new title of Dragonborn would be a boon to her after all, for how could Ulfric deny such an iconic rallying point?

She sighed and nodded to a guard as she entered the Riften gate. She had a long night of explaining and goodbyes ahead of her.

* * *

"And just where on Nirn have you been?" The red haired Nord in front of her demanded, his arms crossed over his chest.

"It's kind of a long story." She sighed, dropping her pack at the side of the desk that he was stood behind. "I could give you the short version if you'd like."

He scoffed, shaking his head. A smile lifted the corner of his mouth despite his frustration with her.

"I've seen neither hide nor hair of you for three months. I had a courier from our contact thanking the Guild for a job well done, but after that you disappeared. I think I deserve to know where you were gallyvanting off to." He grumbled, rolling his eyes. "And please, don't spare me the gritty details, lass."

She chuckled inwardly, leave it to Brynjolf to drag sarcasm into a situation that so clearly didn't warrant it. It was one of the many things she would miss about the man when she had to leave the Thieve's Guild for good.

They retired to her chambers and enjoyed some ale while she recounted her tale, starting with her capture and ending with her tutelage with the legendary order of the Greybeards on the Throat of the World. Brynjolf's ale sat warm and untouched by the end, and his jaw hung slack as he listened with rapt attention to her grand tale.

"Dragonborn, eh? You sure you haven't had too much Black Briar Mead, lass?" He joked weakly once her tale was done.

"Every bit is true." She retorted grimly, pulling back the collar of her tunic to reveal the puckered skin on her collarbone, a relic of the burn from the dragon she had been asked to help defeat upon her return to Whiterun.

He whistled in astonishment, his eyes going wide as he examined her newly formed scar.

"We've heard rumors… Little more. By the Eight, lass. We never suspected it was you." He admitted.

She grimaced, taking another swig of ale to try and drown the anxiety building in her stomach that accompanied talk of her destiny.

"So what now? What do you need me to do?"

She sighed and shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. This was the hard part, Brynjolf wouldn't understand that she had to go, that she couldn't drag him and the rest of the Guild into this mess.

"I need you to take over as Guild Master. The title should have been yours anyway."

It wasn't entirely untrue. Brynjolf had been with the Guild longer than she had, and despite the fact that it was mostly her actions that had brought the Guild back to its former glory, she had always felt that he was better suited to the position of Guild Master.

"For how long?" He questioned, his brows furrowing as he frowned.

He just didn't understand that she wouldn't be returning.

"I won't be back, Bryn. I have to defeat Alduin or die trying."

She had already come to terms with her death. Karys didn't know the first thing about defeating a dragon, despite already having killed one. If the old stories were true, then Alduin was the first born of Akatosh, and he had already destroyed one world, who was she to stop him from doing it again? But if she could fight him, just long enough to buy some time for the people she loved like Brynjolf and Ulfric, then she knew that her sacrifice would not be in vain.

"But the Guild needs you… _I _need you, Dragonborn or no." He countered stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair to glare at her.

"Tamriel needs me, Brynjolf. I can't turn my back on my home when I'm the only thing standing between it and destruction."

Slowly, his expression changed from one of anger to worry, his frown deepening as he leaned forward to clasp one of her hands in his own, running his calloused thumb across her knuckles.

"I'm joining the Stormcloaks. I have to get rid of the Thalmor before I can worry about Alduin."

"The Thalmor? What do those rotten elves have to do with anything?"

"They're looking for me. They want me to join them." She paused, taking in an angry breath, her nostrils flaring. "But I will not! They're the ones that assassinated my parents." She continued, her breath hitching at the thought of her parents.

She had pushed all thoughts of her past life down into the dark recesses of her heart for the past decade, but ever since the events at Helgen, and seeing Ulfric again, she had found it harder to keep the memories as bay. She would often awaken in a cold sweat after reliving the night she had found them on the floor of their home, their eyes empty and staring.

No, she would not join the Thalmor in their tyranny over Tamriel. She would kill every last one of the bastards, she would have vengeance for her parents that were taken too young.

* * *

"You'll take care of yourself, lass?" Brynjolf pleaded, walking Karys to the secret entrance to the surface of Riften.

She had let him into her bed the night before, one last time. They had both been hurting at the thought of her departure, and despite her wanting to focus on nothing more than the love that Brynjolf had shown her in recent years, she had only been able to picture Ulfric's face and think about returning to him as Brynjolf had kissed her tenderly. She had wept before falling asleep, and Brynjolf had held her close, stroking her hair and assuming her tears were those of stress for having to leave her Guild, for having to leave him.

"I will. Take care of them, Bryn." She sighed, looking across the Cistern where the last of her Guild members were retreating to the Ragged Flaggon, the bar front for their hideout.

"Lass," He uttered, bringing a rough hand up to cradle her cheek and she leaned into the warm comfort of his hand. "Know that my heart goes with you." He finally said, glancing down at his feet and sniffling.

Karys leaned up on her toes and granted him a swift kiss, knowing that she at least owed him that. He had been the source of so much comfort to her over the last six years, even when he hadn't known the full extent of why he was comforting her.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she turned to leave, leaving him standing in the shadows alone, his head hung low. Leaving Brynjolf was difficult, but returning to Ulfric would be worse.

* * *

**So I know that in game you help out the Guild after you discover you're the Dragonborn but I just love Brynjolf and his sexy voice so much that I couldn't wait for him to make an appearance. And this explains where Karts has been all these years. **

**I hope to have the next part out tomorrow or Saturday. Reviews make me update faster! ;)**

**I'm toying with the idea of writing a delightfully smutty one shot about Argis the**** Bulwark... How would you guys feel about that?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to xBlackStars for your reviews!**

* * *

Karys dove behind a boulder to shelter from the dragon's frozen thu'um, drawing her sword as she went. She was a mere half day's journey from Windhelm, but it was far enough that no guards would hear the dragon's screeching and come to assist her. She couldn't evade the flying beast long enough to make it to the city, and loath as she was to the idea, she knew she was going to have to face the beast on her own.

She rolled out from her hiding spot, standing straight in the face of the foul beast as she took in a deep breath, feeling the heat of her shout sizzling in her chest.

"YOL!"

The great fireball scalded her lips and left her mouth feeling parched, but staggered the frost dragon, giving her the opportunity to dash in and hack at its scaled face. It writhed in fury, cursing her in the language of the dov. He snapped his jaws at her and she jumped back with a snarl, the dragon's huge teeth missing her by mere inches. She saw the thick length of the tail swooping towards her a second too late.

The long whip of muscle caught her in the chest, sending her skidding across the frozen ground and leaving her breathless. She threw an arm up to protect her face when the dragon took off, stirring dust, snow, and pebbles. She tried to ignore the blinding pain in her middle as she stood, preparing for the dragon's next onslaught.

Within seconds the beast was upon her, beating his wings to tread the air as he lashed out with his talons. Karys dodged, waiting for an opening, for her opponent to show some sign of weakness. She shouted again, the force of her fireball leaving her chest aching as the dragon was knocked to the frozen earth.

There was no time for her to catch her breath. She had to finish this now or she wouldn't last. She launched herself upon the neck of the beast, grabbing hold of one of his spikes to steady herself as the dragon thrashed beneath her.

"You will know death, wyrm!" She cried, thrusting her sword into the soft spot between neck and skull, using both hands to drive the weapon home.

With one last bone chilling scream, the dragon fell, writhing, never to rise again.

Karys dismounted the scaly beast, sheathing her sword and rubbing her sore ribs with a wince. She sighed when she pulled her hand away and it was sticky with blood.

Before she could cast a healing spell on herself, the body of the dragon began to burn and its scales curled to ash that flitted away on a newborn breeze. A rushing wind filled her ears, and white swirling tendrils of light reached from the dragon, which was now only a bleached skeleton, to swirl around her, filling her with warmth.

Before she could even think about continuing on towards Windhelm, Karys fainted.

* * *

"Now, Galmar. I'm sure everything is fine." Ulfic chastised from his seat on his throne as he watched his housecarl pace back and forth at the base of the dias.

"A dragon, Ulfric! I dragon!" Galmar hissed, rounding on the Jarl impatiently. "The boy saw a dragon heading for our city and you sit there as if it can't destroy us!"

"I will not send my men out on here say!" Ulfric growled, slamming a fist down onto the arm of his throne as he leaned forward to glare at the older warrior.

He was growing impatient with Galmar's grumbling. It had been hours since the farm boy had entered the Palace of the Kings shouting about a dragon he had spotted in the outer reaches of his hold. Ulfric hadn't recognized the boy and, worried over an Imperial trap, chose to send only a scout on a fast horse to analyze the situation. He had sent Ralof, since the younger man had been one of the few to survive the dragon at Helgen and had been chomping at the bit since their return to prove his worth to the Jarl.

The double doors at the other end of the Palace flew open with a bang and all eyes turned to the entrance as Ralof staggered in, carrying the limp form of a woman in his arms. His blue cuirass was stained dark with blood, as was the woman's armor.

Ulfric and Galmar strode the length of the hall to meet the young officer, Ulfric's heart plummeting when he recognized the strawberry blonde color of the woman's hair. _Karys._

"I found her next to the dragon." Ralof panted, shifting under the dead weight in his arms. "It was dead, nothing but a pile of bones."

Galmar gasped, but Ulfric was too worried about Karys' lifeless body to be worried about the dragon, and the fact that its empty skeleton confirmed the rumors of the Dragonborn's return.

"She's alive, my lord." Ralof assured him, seeing Ulfric's worried gaze. "But she's lost a lot of blood."

Ulfric nodded, stepping forward to carefully take Karys from Ralof and holding her up to his chest protectively.

"Go take some rest, boy. You've ridden long and hard today." Ulfric intoned, dismissing Ralof without a backwards glance as he strode back down the hall towards his war room with Galmar following.

"Galmar, bring me warm water and linens. As well as healing potions." Ulfric ordered as he took the steps from the war room to the living quarters two at a time.

"Ulrfic, she needs a healer." Galmar protested, huffing to keep up with his Jarl.

Ulfric rounded on Galmar, his eyes burning with anguish for the unconscious woman in his arms. He had been angry with her all over again after her appearance in Helgen. How could she just leave him like that? When she had known how difficult it was for him to ever confide in anyone, much less a silly maiden he had been arranged to marry. But damn the Nine if he was going to let her die.

"Do as I say." He ordered, his voice dangerously low. "Now."

He continued on up the stairs and heard Galmar stomping back down the opposite direction. He chanced a glance down at Karys' face as he carried her to his own chambers at the end of the hall. Despite the torches in their brackets casting a warm glow, she was deathly pale, her body cold as the Sea of Ghosts. He felt a thrill of fear at the thought of her never waking again and jogged the rest of the way to his room, setting her upon the bed as gently as he could manage in his haste.

He had to get her armor off, so he could better clean and inspect her wounds. He cast a wild glance about his chambers, spotting a dagger displayed on his bookshelf and quickly grabbed it. He set to work slicing through her armor, cursing her even as he tried not to jostle her battered body.

_Idiotic woman. Fighting a dragon wearing nothing but boiled leather. No helm to speak of._

He decided he would have to equip her with better armor if… No. _When_ she woke.

Her torn armor peeled away and he gasped. Blood had completely soaked the front of her light tunic, the fabric hardly held together by threads in places across her stomach and chest. He could see a horrible gash across her upper stomach, just below her breasts.

"Here's your damned water and potions." Galmar grunted, tramping in and setting down a basin of water and linens, as well as a basket of red healing potions onto the bedside table. "I still say she needs a healer." The man chastised, peering at the woman's torn body with indifference.

"Get out." Ulfric grumbled, reaching for a rag and dipping into the warm water.

"Ulfric, really! You're being-"

"I said OUT!" The Jarl roared, whirling to face the house carl, a Shout building in his throat.

Galmar wasn't intimidated, but relented none the less, putting his hands up in front of him in surrender before turning on his heel to leave, slamming the door behind him.

Ulfric set to work cleaning the blood from Karys as best he could around her tattered tunic. After a moment he growled in frustration and tore the garment down the middle, the dagger he had used to cut her armor away forgotten. So deep was his concern as he labored that he didn't even stop to admire the woman laid bare before him. What good would it do to see her nude if she didn't wake? If his last thoughts of her were like this, the swells of her full breasts blooming with blood and barely rising as she struggled for breath?

Once he had cleaned away the blood and flushed any dirt from the wound, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, on hand cradling Karys' head as he reached for a potion, unstoppering it with his teeth. He spit the cork onto the floor and slowly poured the healing liquid into her mouth, willing her to swallow it and not drown in the potion her body to desperately needed. He sat the potion back on the table and gently massaged up and down her throat, stimulating the muscles, encouraging her to swallow. She swallowed most of it, sputtered a bit, but did not wake.

He waited, and was relieved when the wounds on her torso began to knit themselves back together. The skin stretching to meet itself anew across the muscle that was just visible. He heard her shallow breathing become stronger and smiled, satisfied at his own work.

_Healers be damned._

He removed the rest of her clothing and the ruined armor to a basket by a door, to be discarded later by the servants before moving to his wardrobe and pulling out a simple white tunic and trousers, laying them over the back of a chair by the bed. They would be too big but they would do for when she woke up.

He pulled the covers up over Karys' naked form before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

* * *

Karys groaned, rolling over and then hissing in pain. Her abdomen ached and her throat was on fire, her tongue felt like an old piece of leather. She stretched carefully, and opened her eyes slowly, peering around the unfamiliar room. She was on a large, soft bed that was raised on a triple tiered dias in the middle of a stone room. Shelves lined the walls, stuffed full with books and display cases. A fire crackled merrily on the hearth against one wall. Sitting up slowly, she tried to figure out where she was. The last thing she remembered was the dragon, and then nothing after absorbing its soul.

She stood slowly, feeling dizzy and wondering why she was naked and who had undressed her. She spied a tunic and some trousers draped over a chair nearby and moved to put them on, still moving slowly to keep her head from spinning. The tunic swallowed her, falling to her knees, so she decided to forgo the trousers that she was sure would be a mile too long. She found a belt beneath the trousers though, and tied the leather around her waist since it was too large to buckle.

She emerged from the room quietly, the stone floor beneath her bare feet sending goosebumps up her legs. The hall before her was empty, the torches lining the walls throwing dancing shadows on the floor. She peered from side to side as she walked towards the stairs at the other end of the hall. They were all sleeping chambers, none so resplendent as those she had just left. And they were all empty, as though they were guest rooms.

She padded silently down the stairs and found herself in what was undoubtedly a war room. There was a map of Skyrim laid out on the table, red and blue flags pinned seemingly helter skelter throughout the holds. As she moved closer to peer curiously at the documents strewn across the table, the fall of a booted foot behind her startled her, causing her to jump in surprise and whirl.

Galmar Stone-First stood before her, a rare smile on his grizzled face.

"You gave us quite the scare, Karys." He told her as she gaped at him as she realized where she must be. "Come, surely you're hungry."

* * *

**So how was that action scene? I feel they're one of my weak points, so I'd enjoy some feedback on that! And AWWWW Ulfric being sweet and taking care of Karys. But don't worry, things won't be getting too cozy any time soon. Important question, would you guys like for me to warn you if there will be gore or sexual themes at the beginning of a chapter or would you like to be surprised? **

**As always, thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Karys! You're awake!" Ralof exclaimed, jumping up from his seat at the long table in the throne hall when the woman followed Galmar in from the war room. "How are you feeling?"

She was surprised when he embraced her warmly, but soon hugged him back and then joined him at the table when he invited her to sit with him.

"So how have you been? I thought perhaps you would return to Riverwood after meeting with Balgruff." The boy chattered, loading a plate with horker loaf, bread, and cheese for her.

"Oh, well. I got sidetracked. The Jarl asked me to do him a few favors, and the coin was good." She shrugged, helping herself to a bottle of wine. "Then he asked me to be his Thane and I declined. I had to go to Riften before coming here to join you Stormcloaks."

She purposely left out the bit about the revelation that she was the legendary Dovakhiin, and her pilgrimage to the Throat of the World. Ralof stuck her as the loose lipped type, and while she was sure his heart was in the right place, she wasn't sure she liked the idea of him running back to the barracks to inform his troops that the Dragonborn had arrived. There had been enough gawking in Whiterun.

"You declined an offer to be Thane?" Ralof seemed flabbergasted, if not a bit amused. "I doubt anyone has done that before."

"Yes, well. I assume it was mostly a position of honor, but even so I couldn't be running to his every beck and call when we have a war to fight." She admonished.

Really, she had refused Balgruff because she didn't trust him. He had been fence sitting for too long during the Civil War, if the gossip in Riften was to be believed. And she didn't doubt that he had already sent a letter to Solitude to inform the Embassy that she was the Dragonborn.

Karys turned when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and her heart leapt into her throat. _Ulfric._

"I would like a word with you in the war room once you are done breaking your fast." He said formally, dropping his hand as soon as she turned. "And I will see to it that Jorlief provides you with proper clothing, as well as a new set of armor."

Karys felt her cheeks burn in shame and horror. She suddenly felt ridiculous for her decision to leave the trousers behind. And she now realized she had awoken in Ulfric's private chambers and that he had more than likely seen her nude.

She quickly composed her face into one of calm indifference, though she was still have some difficulty swallowing around her heart, which simply refused to return to its rightful place in her chest.

"Of course, my Jarl."

* * *

Uflric sat upon his throne in a simmering temper. How dare she waltz around with no trousers? Didn't she realize that half of his men were far from their sweethearts and would ravage her the moment they had the chance? He couldn't be completely angry with her, he admitted to himself as he swallowed thickly. His tunic rode up high on her thigh as she crossed her legs beneath the table and he found it hard to look away. She didn't have on any underthings, and he could see the outline of her perked nipples through the thin fabric of the tunic, and unbidden images of her naked in his bed while he washed her came to mind.

In the three days that he had waited for her to wake he had found it difficult to sleep, knowing that she was in his bed while he slept in a guest room down the hall. He would often wake in the middle of the night, the heat of his dreams of her causing a stirring in his trousers. He would return to his chambers then, usually to sit at the table by the hearth and read a book. But sometimes he would sit in the chair near the bed and just watch her while she slept. The blankets draped over her left no doubt that she had the curves a woman should have, and the mounds of her breasts rose and fell teasingly with every breath she took. He had found it hard to contain himself, having her so close after going for so long without her.

Galmar snorted from beside him, breaking him from his reverie.

"I think the boy is quite taken with her." The older man commented, nodding his head towards Ralof.

The boy's look of awe and reverence as he gazed at Karys just added more fuel to the fire of his frustrations. He harrumphed a reply to his friend before pulling himself from his throne and approaching the table to interrupt what he was sure was a riveting conversation.

* * *

"Why are you here, Karys?" Ulfric demanded, arms crossed across his broad chest.

"To offer my services as a soldier." She replied simply, trying to ignore the blunt tone he used with her.

He scoffed, remembering the soft maiden he had known in his youth. She had barely been able to lift a sword, much less use one to fell an enemy. The light scar on his cheek was a testament to her lack of skill with a blade. Praise Talos that their sparring accident hadn't been worse, and that the blade had been dulled for practice.

"How did you sustain your injuries? Why did the Dragonborn leave you for dead?" He asked, placing his palms on the table between them and leaning forward.

He didn't care that this sounded like an interrogation, because he needed answers. If the Dragonborn was in his Hold he must know, the man could be a valuable asset.

"Come again?" Karys questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"You were found near the skeleton of a dragon." The Jarl replied shortly. "The Dragonborn, where is he?"

"And who says the Dragonborn has to me a man?" The woman responed, lifting her chin in what could only be viewed as defiance.

He snarled in frustration. The Nord woman knew something and he had the distinct feeling that he wasn't going to like her answer.

"If you know something, then spit it out. I need information."

"Why is the Dragonborn so important to you?" She retorted, crossing her own arms now.

"He would be a great asset to the Stormcloaks, I can't deny. And-"

"I'm the Dragonborn." Karys interrupted quietly, effectively stopping the Jarl in his tracks.

He seemed dumbfounded at her revelation before letting out a bark of laughter that left Karys bristling.

"I've changed, Ulfric. I'm not the young maiden you knew years ago."

"Oh I can see that you've changed." The man replied, still chortling. "But to claim that you are the Dragonborn?"

Karys felt herself swell with anger, and fought to push down the fire that simmered in her belly. How dare he laugh at her? Why was it so preposterous that she could be the Dovakhiin of legend? She was a Nord was she not? And she was the stock of an ancient noble family that was older even than Ulfric's.

"Do I have to shout at you to prove it?" She growled, dropping her arms to her sides as her hands curled into fists, her nails digging in to her palms.

"You could try, but I doubt you could disturb a hair on my head." Ulfric chuckled, his green eyes gleaming.

Karys didn't give him a chance to continue. She was already fighting to keep her Voice contained, and his laughter was only serving to fuel her indignant anger. Her chest swelled as she drew her shoulders back, taking in a gulp of air and concentrating on force and the all-powerful meaning of the word.

"FUS!"

She just had time to triumphantly register the shock on the blonde's face before he was thrown back against the stone wall in a heap from the force of her Thu'um, the many leafs of strategy papers buffeting him as he flew. He quickly pulled himself up and for a moment Karys thought he would Shout back. But then he grinned, his eyes studying her in a way that made her insides burn in a way that had nothing to do with her dragon soul.

"Is everything alright?" Galmar boomed, stomping in through the doorway from the throne room, axe in hand.

The moment broken, Ulfric turned to his advisor, chuckling under his breath.

"I'm fine, you old crone. Put that axe away before you hurt someone." He commanded lightly, his smile growing. "And Galmar, I'd like you to meet the Dragonborn."

Galmar slipped his axe into his belt and turned to Karys, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise as he surveyed her.

"Well, well. Color me impressed, girl."

"My sentiments exactly." The Jarl admitted before turning back to Karys. "I will have Jorlief bring you some proper clothes shortly, and then I would like you to accompany me to survey the city. Much has changed since you left."

* * *

The Jarl had spoken true. The city that Karys had known as home was in shambles. Even the houses of the noble families were in various states of disrepair, there was litter in the streets, and there seemed to be a darkness in the air that had nothing to do with the thunderheads that threatened to overtake the coast as they made their way through the Grey Quarter. The Dunmer had always had a difficult time of things, even when Karys had lived in Windhelm. But now it seemed that many of them had taken up begging, sitting in dark doorways with hoods pulled up against the biting wind and tankards with sparse coins held in their hands.

The docks were no better. She had heard of the decree banning them from the city, but she had thought to disregard it, for surely they were still being provided with honest work and fair wages. However, many of them walked with stooped backs from the heavy crates they moved day in and day out, and the state of their clothes were a testament to the sort of payment they received. She wondered where they slept and then shivered at the thought of sleeping on the docks with no protection from the ocean gales when she saw bedrolls lined against the city walls.

"My city is not so great as it was under the rule of my father." Ulfric sighed when they reached the end of the docks.

He stood looking out to the north, the wind stirring his blonde hair as his brow creased with a frown. He looked more like his younger self as Karys watched him. His eyes did not hold the cold glint of calculation he so often had these days, and he seemed beaten somehow. It reminded her of when he had first come home from the Reach, clutching the coattails of a victory that was suffocated by the misery of losing his father and the confusion of his treatment by the Thalmor. Karys had left a mere three weeks after his father's funeral, her own parents being slaughtered a fortnight after Ulfric's return.

She had noticed as they strolled through the city that man, mer, and beast all bowed their heads to the Jarl, and while most of the men had done so out of respect, most of the mer and beast had done so out of fear, grumbling under their breath as he passed. Karys wondered if he knew that his subjects followed out of fear rather than respect. That was no way to rule, beating your people into submission.

"Ulfric. Look around you. These people don't respect you, they fear you." She uttered, wrapping her arms around her stomach and wondering what had happened in her absence to make her former betrothed into such a hard man.

"As well they should." He replied, seeming confused by her words.

"No. How long do you think you would last as High King if you ruled with anger and hate, your subjects fearing your wrath? You would have a rebellion within a month." She continued when he didn't reply. "Why have you cast the Argonians out?"

He sighed, his brow furrowing further and his green eyes turning stormy.

"There was a riot one night. Some of my more… enthusiastic supporters got out of hand. The Argonians you see here are about a third of those that once dwelled within Windhelm, the rest were slaughtered."

"So rather than punishing those responsible you would punish the victims? Ulfric, what these people need is empathy and discipline, not some cold hearted ruler that ignores the woes of his own subjects." She paused, hugging herself tighter. "If you would but show them sympathy for their plight, you would be well on your way to be loved as much as your father before you."

Ulfric peered down at her, wondering when she had become so wise and where she had been all these long years when he could have used this counsel. He hadn't known the first thing about being a Jarl when she left, and already she was showing a better aptitude for leading than he ever had.

"Come, I can see that you're cold." He said simply when he noticed she was shivering.

She didn't deny that she was chilled and accepted his fur mantle graciously when he offered it to her, wrapping it about her shoulders as they walked.

On their way back to the Palace, they passed a house that looked no different from any of the others in the city. Its mortared walls were black with soot and the windows were clouded with grime. But Karys would recognize her childhood home no matter the time she had spent away from it. She paused, gazing at its wooden door, trying to remember what it had looked like when she lived there, the way her mother always had snowberries planted in the pots on either side of the door.

"Hjerim." She breathed to Ulfric when he noticed she had stopped walking.

She ducked her head to hide the tears welling in her eyes. She had tried so hard to push her past back to the dark recesses of her memory, and now to have it suddenly all shoved back into her face was unnerving. She felt like sobbing when she felt Ulfric's warm hand on the small of her back.

"I'd like to go to the temple." She admitted quietly.

She hadn't been to a shrine of Talos since her parents had died. She felt that now more than ever she desperately needed the guidance of the Gods. And so Ulfric led her there. They knelt at the altar and Karys prayed silently. She prayed for her parents, for all of the people of Tamriel suffering under the thumb of the Thalmor, she prayed for the strength to control the newly awoken beast within her that burned with a fury she didn't know she was capable of. Karys prayed for Ulfric.

* * *

**Wow, this was a long one for me. Hopefully you guys don't think I'm rushing things? **

**Would really appreciate some reviews, since I know people are reading, just would like to know how you guys feel about this so far! I won't be able to post much this week just because of work and class.**


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